Garden watering guide: Hints, tips, gadgets, and hacks to make the summer chore so much easier
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It might feel like the rain never stops in Britain, but when we do get a dry spell, the gardeners and growers among us soon start to lament a long, dry spell.
Because anyone who enjoys a colourful garden will tell you, watering flowers each day is a bit of a chore. Keeping our veg patches in fine fettle is a faff, and don't get me started on hanging baskets.
Dry spells also mean lawns lose their lush, green hues, and shrubs and fruit bushes start to suffer. It can also lead to problems with tree roots, as they extend out, potentially disrupting fences and pavements, in search of moisture. Yes, that has happened to me.
But there are gadgets out there to help with your summer watering routine. And choosing the right tools for the job is important.
We've compiled a guide to some of the key products you should be considering if you want to make watering the garden more easy, if you want to let technology take over, or if you just want to save a few quid on quality items.
From half-price hoses to automatic irrigation systems, we hope consumer technology expert Gareth Butterfield's guide will help you keep your garden looking healthy all through the summer months and beyond.
First things first - buy a water butt
Water is a precious resource, so we all need to do our bit to preserve it where possible. And watering the garden with hoses and sprinklers places a huge load on the network - so it makes a lot of sense to harvest rainwater.
It's better for your plants, it's completely renewable and it doesn't cost anything.
Water butts quite literally come in all shapes and sizes, from the ornate and decorative to the cheap and simple.
You'll need to place it near to a guttering, as it will have to tap into the downpipe, but that's easier than it sounds. I have one next to my shed and I always get plenty of water from it, unless we get a serious drought.
Here's a couple that caught my eye...
Ward 100L Slimline Water butt
Water butts needn't be expensive. It's possible to pick one up for around £20, but you won't necessarily get a stand with it, and it's important to buy one that will last and not leak.
This one from B&Q holds up to 100 litres, which is enough for most small gardens, and it comes with a lid, tap, stand, and basic filler kit.
All you need to start collecting rain water and drawing less from your mains supply.
330L Slim Stone Decor Rainwater Wall Tank
In case you're a bit too posh for a basic butt, or if you like big butts, this huge, decorative rainwater tank might be just the thing.
It might be significantly more expensive than a common or garden water butt, but it's shaped like a block of stones and would look lovely against a clean wall on a modern house.
The large capacity means it will hold plenty of water for large gardens, and it comes with all the parts and accessories you need to install it. And you'd hope so for £200.
Choosing the right hose
Hoses quite literally come in all shapes and sizes. And everyone will have their requirements and preferences, but I've been using a flexible hose for several years now, and I'd never go back to a conventional hose.
I've always found conventional hoses to be heavy, cumbersome, awkward to roll out and a nightmare to roll back up. Unless you spend a fortune on a properly wall-mounted reel, they just never want to go back neatly.
They do have their advantages, though. They're very sturdy, they're easy to attach accessories to, and they can cope with some abuse.
That's not the case with a flexi hose. You need to be careful not to tread on them too much, or to trap them and pinch the inner tube. But apart from that, they're brilliant in the garden.
They're lightweight, compact, easy to put away, and they expand out to huge lengths. Just bear in mind the pressure coming out can vary a bit, and some will require specific accessories.
Other types of hoses to consider are flat hoses, that roll onto a very compact reel. These can be handy in small spaces, but they're not the easiest things to use because they have to be rolled out completely.
A spiral hose might be a better bet for small gardens, but make sure you buy a good one and ensure it comes with the accessories you'll need, because it's tricky to get aftermarket ones.
Hozelock Superhoze 15m
If you do fancy a flexible hose, get a good one. That's the golden rule. Although it's tempting to get a cheaper one, paying around a tenner will just cost you in the long run.
That said, B&Q have a nice 50ft flexi hose with sturdy brass connectors that looks tempting.
If it was me though, knowing what I know, I'd buy this Hozelock Superhoze. Hozelock is a brand I'm increasingly going back to for all my garden goodies, because I rarely have any problems, and everyhing is so well made.
The 15 metre length might fall a bit short for some applications, but it'll suit most gardens, and it comes with a suite of accessories, which is really handy.
Hozelock Compact Reel with 25m Hose
Assuming I haven't convinced you, and you'd rather go for a conventional hose, then how's this for a good deal?
It's from Hozelock again, so it'll be built to last, but it's a 25 metre hose on a really sturdy reel that should be compact enough to tuck away in outdoor nooks and crannies.
It comes with Hozelock connectors, and there's a 20% saving on it at the moment, so it's a bit of a bargain.
Let an irrigation system do the work for you
There is an easier way to water your garden than heading out each evening with the hosepipe.
Last year I installed an automatic irrigation system into my garden. It wasn't easy, it took a lot of fine-tuning and fettling, but it cost far less than I thought it would do and it works brilliantly.
The first thing you need is the hose and nozzle kit. This should cost less than £50, and it links up to your tap. It contains long lengths of a fairly narrow pipe, which you cut to the required lengths and send around your garden.
I don't have a big garden, but mine needed around 150ft of pipe, so make sure you measure up properly. Fitting the nozzles is tricky, and you can get it wrong quite easily, because tucking the pipe away neatly is also an acquired skill.
But once you've got it all laid out, you can just let the nozzles do their job, spraying a fine jet of water into your beds and pots.
To make this even easier, you can fit a timer to your system. It attaches between the tap and the hose and you can set up programmes to decide when the hose will send water through the system.
I've got mine set to turn on every day in the morning and evening, and it will even delay turning on if it's been raining. Clever stuff.
Here's what you need, all available on Amazon.
MIXC Irrigation System
This is a limited-time deal, so be quick, but this contains all the bits you need to set up a small irrigation system. It includes 226ft of hose, which sounds a lot, but that will only really suit a small garden, especially if you have lots of pots or beds.
There are plenty of nozzles and connectors, but if you need more, consider buying two kits. And do bear in mind this will only water beds around the perimeter of your garden, it can't get to beds set in a lawn or beds that are off in another part of the garden.
Diivoo Irrigation Hose Timer
I've learned the hard way that simplicity is key when it comes to water timers. I first bought an app-controlled one, but it just wasn't reliable. This one has a digital display, so it might be a bit more complex to set up, but it'll do a great job of running set programmes.
It has a delay setting so you don't waste water if it's been raining, and you can programme either daily or weekly cycles.
These automatic systems are ideal for when you go away on holiday. No more pestering the neighbours to go out and do your chores for you if there's a dry spell.
Don't forget your hanging baskets
Because of their shallow soil base, and exposed locations, hanging baskets need to be watered more often than any other part of your garden.
You could use a small set of steps to get up to them with your hose or watering can, but a decent lance designed to do the job will pay dividends.
This one, by Gardena, is only £24.99 at the moment, and really well made.
Its flexible nozzle will allow you to get deep into the basket and spray a wide or narrow jet of water across the flowers. This is one of those tools you won't regret buying.
Get a good sprinkler
Sprinklers are predominantly aimed at keeping large areas of lawn looking lush, but they can be really useful for veg patches, big flower beds, and other areas of the garden you want to be thriving.
There are lots of different types to go for, but I've always loved using Karcher sprinklers. It's a company that just knows its stuff when it comes to flowing water.
Using sprinklers is very resource-heavy, so it's something to do sparingly, if you can, but thankfully you won't need to run them for too long at a time.
And always be wary of any restrictions in your area, as water companies will often ask householders not to use sprinklers when water supplies are running low.
Karcher Sprinkler CS 90 Vario
This is such a cheap way to give your garden a thorough soaking, and it's still a quality bit of kit.
Designed for small areas, it'll spray water in all directions and its spike is handy for keeping it level, even on sloping ground.
If all you want to do is soak a small lawn or a large bed, this is absolutely ideal.
Oscillating sprinkler OS 3.220
Oscillating sprinklers like this one spray water forwards and backwards in a repeating pattern, and they've been around for years.
This is Karcher's own take on the design, and there are controls to change the alignment of the water, the flow, and the range.
I also love the spikes that keep it in place, and all the fixings are nice and secure.
They come in three different sizes, so pick the one that's right for your garden, but this is about as good as sprinklers get.
Octopus Lawn Sprinkler
Why not water your garden and wear the kids out at the same time? This funky little octopus connects to your hose, and sprays water in all sorts of directions as its "tentacles" flail around.
Perfect for some family fun on a hot, sunny day, and it'll keep your lawn looking lush as an added bonus.
Keep it cheap and simple
If you really can't be bothered with all these garden gadgets, or if your outdoor space just isn't big enough to justify them, then there are some cheaper, simpler tools for the job.
Firstly, just get yourself a decent watering can. You might already have one, but if not, this straight-forward 10 litre can from B&Q will do the job, and it's only £6. It even comes with a rose.
Another cheap way to simplify your watering chores is with a good set of watering globes. Fill them with water, prod them into the soil of a pot or bed at just the right angle, and they'll drip-feed water into your plants over a set period of time.
Priced at £12.93, they're about a quid each, and self-watering doesn't get any cheaper than that.